Ballast-cleaning machine



June 14,1927.

w. J. SHANNON BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE Filed Dec. '7. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 L i T E u Q w w g 5 Mn. .2 W H "NP v I Q! O J QM al in" IN 0. O 3 mm. mw

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June 14, 1927. 1,632,045

W. J. SHANNON BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE Filed Dec. 7. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-. 2

15 1b JAMMXMJGT June 14,1927.

w. J. SHANNON BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec.

June 14, 1927.

w. J. SHANNON- BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE v, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec.

oodoo O M HANLJ FM W- J. SHANNON BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE Filed Dec. '7. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 6

64 C015 "up Patented June 14, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,632,045 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. SHANNON, OF EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BALLAST-CLEANING MACHINE.

Application filed December 7, 1925. serial No. 73,695.

This invention is concerned with railroad maintenance apparatus and is directed to power driven mechanism adapted to clean the ballast of railroad tracks and the general object thereof is to provide an apparatus I which will excavate the ballast, elevate it,

which apparatus may be operative to eX- cavate, clean and replace the ballast of the track upon which the supportlng car rides.

A further object of my invention is directed to the provision of a ballast excavating mechanism in association with a ballast cleaning apparatus which may be conveniently adjusted to an operative excavating position and remain in operation without interferingv with traffic on one track of a double track railroad.

Further objects of my invention -will hereinafter become apparent from the following description thereof which refers to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof. The essential characteristics are summarized in the claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a railroad car equipped with my ballast cleaning apparatus'and showing the operative parts of the apparatus swung to a transportable position on the car; Fig. 21s a plan view of the car and apparatus disclosed in Fig. 1, with the excavating mechanism thereof suspended in a ballast excavating position; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the car and apparatus with the excavating mechanism in operative position; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the excavating apparatus swung to a transportable position on the car; Fig. 5 1s a view similar to Fig. 1 with the excavating mechanism, however, swung to an operative position; Fig. 6is an enlarged sectional de tail of a power transmitting means for propolling the car; and Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of a power transmitting means.

Various apparatus have been proposed for em avating. cleaning and restoring the ballast of the bed of a railroad track and these various proposed apparatus usually included an excavator of some form which would dig or loosen the ballast and deposit it on a conveyor which would carry the ballast to a cleaning apparatus in the form of a. screen. The finer undesirable materials, separated by the screen, were collected in a receptacle of some form and the cleaned ballast returned to the railroad bed.

My invention contemplates the use of an apparatus incorporating these general characteristics but I propose to bring these essential mechanisms into a corporative relationship in such simple manner that the entire apparatus may be carried upon a fiat car and the excavating mechanism may be such that it may be readily swung to oper- 7 ative position by adjustably suspendin it upon the side of the car and I accomp ish this arrangement in such manner. that I require only two conveyers in the entire apparatus, and the apparatus may be operated to clean ballast taken from the track bed traversed by the supporting car.

As shown in the drawings my apparatus. is arranged upon a railroad car, preferably comprising a flat platform 10 and wheel 30 trucks 11 and 12. The platform has mounted thereon a power driven rotary screen 15 which serves to clean the ballast when once excavated and elevated thereto; the height of the screen being such that the cleaned 35 ballast may flow therefrom by gravity to the track bed. Adjustably mounted at one side of the car is an excavator 18 in the form of a series of rotary blades 18 .of a suitable scooped shape to loosen the ballast from the railroad bed and deposit it upon the elevator belt 20 of'an upwardly extending elevator structure 21. The rotary excavating member 18 and the conveyer 21 are mounted upon supporting frames which may be swung upwardly and over to a transportable position upon the platform, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and for the excavator the supporting frame may comprise an outer frame member 23 which is suitably connected to an inner frame member 24. These frame members are preferably formed to flare upwardly at their forward ends to clear the ballast bed. T he two frame members 23 and 24 may be provided with suitable bearings, not shown, for supporting the excavator axle or shaft 25. The frame supporting the excavator shaft 25 may be suspended from the side of the car upon depending bracket members 26 and 27 which are secured at their upper ends to a hinge; bar 28, the latter member being supported by bracket members 29 and 30 secured to the side of the car platform. The bracket members 29 and 30 extend downwardly to suspend the hinge bar 28 a suficient distance below the upper surface of theplatform 10 of the car to permit a swlngmg clearance for the frame supporting the excavator whereby the excavator may be swung upwardly and inwardly to the transportable position shown in Fig. 4. To raise and lower the excavator 18 relative to the track bed, when its supporting frame is in the operating position shown in Fig. 5, I prefer to adjustably mount the frame members 23 and 24 supporting the excavator shaft 25 u on the depending frame members 26 and 2'? and accordingly the frame members and 24 may be pivotally attached at their forward ends to the depending member 26 by any suitable means such as a pivot bolt 31. The rearward .end of the frame may thus swing about the pivot bolt 31 and I provide a slot 27 in the member 27 into which may extend a clampingbolt 32, the

latter being rigidly secured to the frame member 24. For adjusting the excavator supporting frame I provide a screw member 35, see Fig. 1, which engages ad acent its upper end, a threaded lug 27* formed on the member 27 and its lower end extends through an L bracket 36 conveniently secured to the frame member 24. By turning the screw member the excavator supporting frame may be swung upwardly or downwardly about the pivot bolt 31, thus raising or lowering the rotary excavator member a short distance, as allowed b the looseness of the clamping bolt 32 in t e slot and the screw 35 in its nut. For a greater adjustment, the pivot 31 is removed and reset in one of the other holes shown.

The upwardly extending elevator or conveyer 21 may be attached tothe excavator supporting frame by a pivot bar 38 suitably mounted on the excavator frame members 23 and 24 at the rear ends thereof and the elevator belt 20 may extend over a pulley 40 operativel disposed adjacent the path of rotation o the excavator blades 18 and beneath the axis thereof. The upper end of the conveyor belt ma extend over a power driven pulley 42 suita 1y mounted on a shaft 43, supported by side members 45 of the elevator structure. The side members 45 may be attached to transverse structure members, not shown, and the entire elevator structure may be'supported in such inannor that it may be lowered to a substantially horizontal sition whereupon it may be swung upwar ly and inwardly over the the our platform simultaneously with the excavator mechanism. A convenient form of supporting meansfor the elevator 21 may comprise an overhead structure extending above the car platform and upon which may neaaoac be mounted, so as to be power driven, a pairof winding drums 54 and 55, the drum 54 serving to act upon a cable 56 extending outwardly to pass over a sheave 57 disposed above the elevator frame 45. The sheave 57 may be supported by a bar 59 which may be shifted inwardly when the cable is taken in by the winding mechanism by removing a pin 59 bearing on an overhead structure to be hereinafter described. The lower end of the cable 56 is attached to a bail 60 suitably secured to the side members 45 of the conveyor frame at the mid portions thereof. The cable 56, as shown in Fig. 5, serves to suspend the conveyor structure described, with the upper end thereof extending over and above the outer end of a transverse conveyer of any suitable construction to extend to and be driven by a rotary screen 15 in a manner to be hereinafter described. This transverse conveyor has a stationary portion over the carv floor and a projecting portion hinged thereto which is normally held horizontal by a strut 70 (Fig. 5) but when the strut is removed may be swung down into. the inclined position over the floor as shown in Fig. 4.

Disposed beneath the screen 15 is a hopper structure 71 of suitable shape to receive the extraneous matter removed from the ballast by the screening device and leading therefrom may be a chute 72 through which the undesirable material may be discharged into a refuse receiving car or to one side of the trackway.

- Disposed at the forward end of the screen may be a transversely extending ballast return chute 7 4 which receives the cleaned ballast at its upper end and discharges it to the track bed at a point slightly above the track rails.

To support the cable drums 54, 55, the screening device 15, the conveyers 45, 70, etc, at a proper elevation, whereby the refuse material and cleaned ballast may be discharged from the screen by gravity, I

Ill)

provide an overhead frame structure in the form of longitudinal members 80 and 81 disposed to extend along the sides of the car. These longitudinal members are connected by transversely extending structural members 82 to 86 inclusive. These transverse members and longitudinal members are mounted upon pairs of upright members 90 to 94 inclusive secured to the car platform. Suitable bracing or strut members may be attached to the frame members described, to impart rigidity and strength thereto.

The power transmitting means for driving the screening device, the two conveyers, the excavating mechanism, and the car, will now be described.

Disposed at one end of the car platform 10 an above the wheel-truck 12, may be a source of power such as a gas engine 100,

relative to the rotation of the blades 18 when the excavator 18 is being operated, may comprise, as shown in Fig. 6, a miter gear rigidly mounted upon the shaft 102 which meshes with a miten gear 106 fixed upon a transversely extending stub shaft 107. The stub-shaft 107 is supported by bearing brackets 108 and 109 secured to the car platform 10. Slidably mounted upon the shaft 107 and splinedthereto is a clutch member 110 which is disposed between the bearing bracket members 108 and 109. The clutch member 110 is adapted to engage the clutch hub 111 of a sprocket member 112 loosely mounted upon the shaft 111. The

sprocket member 112 serves to drive a downwardly extending chain 113, which passes through a-suitable opening formed in the car platform 10 and extends over and drives a sprocket 114. The sprocket 114 is rigidly attached to a shaft member 115 substantially suspended upon bearing brackets 118 and 119 attached to the under side of the car frame. The shaft 115 carries a pinion 120 which meshes with a gear 121 rigidly fixed upon the wheel truck axle 12, By shifting the clutch member 110 into engagement with the sprocket 112 the engine 100 may be connected to drive the truck wheels 12 of the truck 12.

The power transmitting mechanism for transmitting power from the gas engine 100 to the elevator belt 20 and excavator 18, is as follows:

In alignment with the stub shaft 107 is a second stub shaft which carries a miter gear 141 which is driven by the miter gear 105 mounted on the engine shaft extension 102. The stub shaft 140 is suitably supported by bearing brackets 142 and 143v sccured to the car platform 10. A clutch member 144 is disposed between the bracket members in splined engagement with the stub shaft 140 and is adapted to engage a clutch hub 146 of a sprocket member 147 loosely mounted on the stub shaft 140. The sprocket 147 serves to drive a chain 148, see Fig. 5, which extends longitudinally of the car platform and downwardly to pass through a suitable opening formed in the car platform whereby it may pass over a sprocket 148 carried by a transverse shaft 149 suitably supported on bearings 149 but disposed immediately beneath'the car platform. The shaft 149 extends to the side of the car and has mounted on a projecting end thereof, immediately adjacent the side of the car platform, two sprocket members 150 and 151. The sprocket member 151 serves to drive a chain 152 which extends downwardly to and passes over a large sprocket member 153 rigidly mounted upon the excavator shaft 25. a chain 156 which passes over idler sprockets 158 and 159, suitably mounted on the side of the car and thence extends upwardly to and over a sprocket 160 rigidly mounted upon the upper conveyer shaft 43. By providing the idler members 158 and 159 1 obtain a convenient power transmission to operate the conveyer belt 20, which power transmission mechanism does not interfere in any manner with the lowering of the conveyer structure 21 when it is desired to swing the excavator mechanism and conveyer structure to a transportable position on the car platform 10.

It will be'noted that only one clutch is .provided for power connecting the power transmitting mechanism for both the excavator and elevator conveyer for the reason that at no time would it be desirable to operate these respective mechanisms independently. r

The power take off fordriving the screen and the conveyer 70 may be as follows:

Mounted on the shaft extension 102 may be a loose sprocket having a clutch hub 171 which may be engaged by a clutch mem-. her 172 splined to the shaft 102. The sprocket 110 drives an upwardly extending chain 173 which passes over a sprocket 174 mounted upon the screen shaft 175. The screen shaft 175 may be supported at one end by a bearing bracket 176 and at its other end by a bearing bracket 17 7, the respective bearing brackets being secured to the overhead frame structure in any convenient-manner. The conveyer 70 may have the inner pulley 178 thereof rigidly mounted upon the shaft 179 and this shaft carries at oneend thereof, a sprocket 180 driven by a short chain stretch 181. The chain 181 is driven by a sprocket 182 rigidly mounted upon the screen shaft 175. As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the conveyer 70 terminates over a screen charging hopper 190. It will thus be noted that the screen 15 and the conveyer 70 are driven in unison and the driving elements are such that the' outer ballast receiving end. of the conveyer 70 may be dropped about hinges in its mid-portion to the car platform by removing the conveyer supporting member 70. The raising and lowering of the free end of the conveyor may be done manually.

The power take off for operating the cable drums 04 and 55 may be respectively as follows:

A sprocket on the shaft 102 drives an upwardly extending chain 196 which extends over a sprocket 197 loosely mounted upon a non-rotating shaft 198 suitably secured to The sprocket 150 serves to drive the overhead frame structure. lln splined engagement With a hub of the drum 54: may be a clutch member 199 which is shift able to engage the hub of the sprocket 197 and thus connect the drum 5d tothe engine 100. The drum 55 is driven in a similar manner by a sprocket 200 rigidly mounted on the shaft 102. The sprocket 200 serves to drive a chain 201 which extends upwardly to and over a sprocket 202 which may be 'drivingly connected to the drum by a shiftable clutch member 203 in the manner described. Any convenient brake or ratchet and pawl means may be used to prevent a cable payin out movement of .the drums.

When it 1s desired to swing the elevator frame 21 and the excavator mechanism over.

the car platform, the conveyor frame 21 is first lowered to a substantiall horizontal 7 position by paying out the ca le 56. The

chain 156 may then be disengaged from the idler sprockets 158 and 159. By driving the two drums 5t and 55 simultaneously the excavator mechanism and the conveyor frame 21 may be swung upwardly. The manner of supporting the conveyor 70, however, is such that the outer projecting end thereof may be lowered, as hereinbefore set forth, to permit the lowering of the elevator frame 30 21. When the cable 56 is taken in by the drum 54, the sheave supporting bar 59 may be caused to shift inwardly by removing the pin 59 whereupon the elevator and excavator mechanism is swung over a dead center relative to the hinge bar 28 and by paying out the cables and 56 the conveyer and excavator mechanisms may be dropped to the transportable position'shown in it igs. a

and 5. Y to From the description of my invention it will be seen that l provide a ballast cleaning apparatus which may be mounted upon a flat car of standard dimensions and be adjustable thereon in such manner to be risin a railroad car havin an excavator mechanism suspended at one side thereof, means for swinging the excavator mechanism upwardly and inwardly about a longitudinal axis over the car platform and a conveyor mechanism also mounted at the 0 side of the car in operative association with the excavating mechanism, said conveyor mechanism normally extending upwardly of the car and means for lowering said conveyor mechanism to a substantially horiinsane-a zontal position from which it may be swung about a longitudinal axis.

2. A machine for excavating and conveying ballast, comprising a railroad car of standard gauge having an excavator mechanism pivotally suspended about a longitudinal axis at one side thereof, means for swing ing the excavator mechanism over the car platform about said longitudinal axis, a conveyor mechanism disposed at the side of the car and pivotally mounted on said excavator mechanism about a transverse axis, said conveyor mechanism normally extending up wardly of the car, and means for lowering said conveyor mechanism about the transverse axis of its pivotal mounting on the excavator mechanism to a substantially hori' zontal position from which it may be swung along with the excavator mechanism about the said longitudinal axis of the pivotal suspension of the excavator mechanism at the side of the car.

3. A machine for excavating ballast, comprising a railroad car having an excavator mechanism suspended at one side thereof, means for swinging the excavator mechanism upwardly and inwardly over the our platform, a conveyor mechanism also suspended at the side of the car in operative association and carried by the excavating mechanism, said conveyor mechanism extending longitudinally of the car means positioned above the car platform for suspending the conveyor and excavation mechanism in operative position.

lllln an apparatus of thecharacter described, the combination of an excavator, a car platform mounted on standard railway trucks, the excavator hein attached to said platform at one side thereof, an elevator in operative association with the excavator for receivin the ballast from the excavator and thereafter elevating it above the car platform, an overhead frame structure mounted upon. the car platform, and means mounted upon said overhead strucand ture for aligning said elevator with the-. 3 excavator and swinging said excavator and elevator about a longitudinal axis upwardly and inwardly over the ear platform to cause the excavator and elevator to be disposed upon the car platform in transportable position.

5. in an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an excavator,

a frame for carrying said excavator, a car platform mounted on standard railway trucks, the frame being pivotally suspended from said platform at one side thereof, a ballast 'elevator\in operative association with the excavator and being pivotally mounted about a transverse axis in said frame and adapted to receive the ballast from the excavator and thereafter elevateplatform at one side thereof, an adjustable frame supporting the excavator, means associated with the frame for positively adjusting its position relative to the car, a ballast elevator having a lower end attached to the frame and adapted to receive ballast from the excavator, the elevator being disposed at the side of the car and adapted to overhang the car in alignment with the excavator, an overhead frame structure mounted upon the car platform, and means mounted upon said overhead structure for suspending the excavator and elevator in operative position.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an excavator, a car platform mounted on standard railway trucks, the excavator being attached to said platform at one side thereof, an elevator in operative association with the excavator overhanging the side of the car and disposed longitudinally thereof for receiving the ballast from the excavator and thereafter elevating it above the car platform, an overhead frame structure mounted upon the car platform, and a hoisting means mounted upon said overhead structure for swinging said excavator and elevator upwardly and inwardly over the car platform and serving to suspend the excavator and elevator in operative position and power transmitting means for driving said hoisting means and said excavator and elevator. O

8. In a machine for excavating ballast which includes a car, the combination of an excavator mechanism suspended on a longitudinally extending hinge bar attached at one side of the car, a conveyer in the forni of an elevator pivotally connected to the excavator and overhanging the side of the car and extendin longitudinally of the car and upwardly a ove the car platform, an overhead rigging includin a hoisting drum and cable supporting t e conveyor and a power means including power transmitting means for driving the elevator and the drum.

9. In a machine for excavating ballast, the combination of a railway car, an excavator, a conveyor, a hinge bar extendingl longitudinally of the car and beyond t of the car, arms pivotally mounted on said hinge bar, a frame for supporting the excavating mechanism, said frame being pivotthe excavator,

e edge ally mounted on one of said arms and adjustably mounted on the other of said arms, means for effecting adjustment between the last named arm and said frame, a shaft j ournalled in said frame and adapted to carry the excavating mechanism, a second shaft disposed in said frame and adapted to pivotally support one end of said conveyor, means for moving the conveyor about the second shaft and means for moving both conveyor and excavator about the hinge bar.

10. In a machine for, excavating ballast, the combination of a railway car, an excavator, a conveyor, a motor, means connecting said motor to the excavator and conveyor, a hinge bar extending longitudinally of the car and beyond the edge of the car, arms pivotally mounted on said hinge bar, a frame for supporting the excavating mechanism, said frame being pivotally mounted on one of said arms and adjustably mounted on the other of said arms, means for effecting adjustment between the last named arm and said frame, a shaft journal-led in said frame and adapted to carry the excavating mecha-, nism, a second shaft disposed in said frame and adapted to pivotally support one end of said conveyor, a hoisting mechanism driven by said motor for raising and lowering said conveyor mechanism, a second hoisting mechanism attached to said frame and driven by said motor and adapted to swing said frame about said hinge bar, said hoisting mechanisms being independently driven so that the conveyor may be swung about the axis of said hinge bar and to the car platform. v

11. In an excavator machine of the character described including a railroad car, an excavator mechanism, a frame for carrying the excavator attached to the car at one side thereof, said frame being suspended to swing about a longitudinal axis and being pivoted about a transverse axis at its foremost end and adjustably positioned about said transverse axis, a ballast conveyor pivotally connected to said frame and extending upwardly therefrom along the side er the car to discharge the ballast above the car platform and means disposed above the car platform and extending from the upper end of said conveyor for guiding the ballast discharged from the conveyor.

12. In an excavator machine of the character described, a railroad car, an excavator mechanism, a supporting frame therefor, said supporting frame being pivotally con nected to the side of the car, a ballast con veyor pivotally connected to the supporting frame and extending upwardly along the sideof the'car to discharge the ballast above the car platform, and a second conveyor extending transversely of the car adjacent the upper end of said first named conveyor, said second conveyor having one end thereof swingahle downwardly to permit a lowering movement of the first named conveyor.

13. In a device of the character descrihed the combination of a car, a frame an excavator carried by said frame, and means for supporting and positioning said frame relative to said car, said means including an adjustable transverse pivotal support for the frame at a point remote from. the excavator and positive adjusting means acting on the frame near the excavator for fixing the position of the frame relative to the said pivotal. support.

14-, In a device of the character deserihed the combination of a car, a frame svvingahle about an axis extending longitudinally of the car, an excavator carried by said frame, and means for positioning said excavator relative to the car including an adjustable transverse pivotal support for one end of the frame and a screw and nut couple for the other end of the frame whereby the frame may he raised or lowered through an arc defined lay the adjustment of the said adjustable transverse pivotal support.

in testimony whereof, I hereunto aflin my signature.

Willhlhlllild d. SHANNUN. 

